A school that charges upwards of $51,000 for Year 12 students has slugged parents with another fee in order for their children to visit its new ‘castle’ at its opening event.
Although most families at all-boys Scots College are not hard up for cash, many were unhappy with the $50 entry fee added to their bill from the east Sydney school.
The fee was for the opening of Scots’ new $60million ‘Scottish Baronial style’ castle, which has been more than seven years in the making.
The upgrade of the previous ‘flat-roofed, neo-Brutalist, monolithic’ John Cunningham Centre was approved by the Independent Planning Commission in 2019.
However several long delays to the construction and a 50 per cent budget blowout caused frustration that makes the entry fee all the more infuriating.
‘Parents are ropeable about being charged to attend the opening after delays and the building being well over budget,’ one anonymous parent told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Tension around the castle began as soon as plans were lodged in 2017 with several objections shared with Woollahra Council by surrounding residents.
Top of neighbours’ worries was further strain being put on local parking, worsened traffic and their harbour views being blocked.
Concerned Scots Neighbours group made several objections to the castle’s constructions and Bellevue Hill resident Ian Joye launched legal action against the school in the Land and Environment Court over its plans to increase student numbers.
Nevertheless, the Bellevue Hill school was given the regulatory green light to demolish its old student centre in 2019 and in 2023 Prince Edward, King Charles III’s youngest brother, laid the foundation stone of the new castle.
The Department of Planning had recommended the castle’s approval as it would help deliver improved educational facilities to the local area.
Delays in construction were initially blamed on trouble sourcing sandstone slates from Scotland while architects toured Edinburgh buildings designed by famous architect David Bryce to inspire their own plans.
Last year, the school claimed the delays were ‘due to a combination of issues including COVID shut-down periods, supply and labour challenges’.
Construction company Taylor stated on its website the castle contains ‘multiple new learning spaces, improved academic research spaces and new formal function rooms’.
It also features a staff and student cafe, rooms for student counselling and pastoral care, and a library.
Scots, which received combined government funding of about $8million in 2023, separately received approval for an underground car park with a tennis court above.
Private schools have increasingly turned to state-level significant planning pathways for building approval rather than lodging plans through local councils.
Six of Sydney’s most expensive schools have more than $600million worth of projects currently in the works through state planning.
The Kings School, MLC and Newington College each have multi-year building redevelopment plans worth more than $100million underway.
Those projects include performing arts centres, aquatic centres and sports courts.
While parents and donors foot the bill for the buildings themselves, government funding can be used towards interest payments on loans.
Paul Blanket, a spokesperson for Concerned Scots Neighbours, said residents are concerned about traffic and parking in the area.
‘As you increase the student population you put huge pressure on surrounding streets. That’s not unique to Scots, but many private schools doing major building works,’ he said.
‘Schools need to be aware of concerns of the local community and mitigate the impact on the nearby residents.’
Daily Mail has contacted The Scots College for comment.